Keywords
actin; persistence length; cancer
Abstract
Actin is an essential protein that plays a vital role in the structural integrity of the cytoskeleton and many essential cell processes. Gold nanoparticles have been used in cancer treatment as well as many different drug delivery mechanisms, however, their cytotoxic effects may hinder the integrity of actin filaments. The interaction between actin and nanoparticles has not been well established. In this study, we investigate how different sizes of bovine serum albumin-coated gold nanoparticles can modulate actin filament assembly and mechanical properties using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. By obtaining images at specific time increments, the actin filaments were analyzed using the Persistence Software to determine a numerical bending persistence length (����), as well as the end-to-end filament contour length. Our results indicate that when incubated with gold nanoparticles, the actin filaments have a significant decrease in average filament length. A decrease in the filament stiffness, or persistence length (����), was also observed. This difference is exacerbated when incubated with smaller-sized gold nanoparticles. This study will help provide insights into the mechanisms occurring between actin and nanoparticles and further applications of gold nanoparticles in the cell.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair
Kang, Ellen
College
College of Sciences
Department
Physics
Thesis Discipline
Physics
Language
English
Access Status
Campus Access
Length of Campus Access
1 year
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Ansari, Ahad H., "Modulation of Actin Filament Assembly and Mechanics with Gold Nanoparticles" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 303.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/303
Rights Statement
